Pictures from my 7th Kyu test (14 Images)

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[Daniel Mills]

Bit small, and low in quality, and in no particular order, but.. Ta-da :)

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/D7thKyu1.jpg

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/D7thKyu2.jpg

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/D7thKyu3.jpg

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/D7thKyu4.jpg

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/D7thKyu5.jpg

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/D7thKyu6.jpg

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/D7thKyu7.jpg

...

[Daniel Mills]

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/D7thKyu8.jpg

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/D7thKyu9.jpg

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/D7thKyu10.jpg

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/D7thKyu11.jpg

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/D7thKyu12.jpg

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/D7thKyu13.jpg

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/D7thKyu14.jpg

:)

-Daniel.

[Kyri Honigh]

Nice! keep it up :)

[adrian]

You do Kotegaeshi for 7th kyu ?

Could you post the requirenments at your Dojo ?

[Daniel Mills]

Kyri, I fully intend to! :)

Adrian, Indeed we do. 7th Kyu is the first senior grade, and does include Munetsuki Kotegaishi. 7th Kyu written down is really quite basic, but it is the first rank so it doesn't need to be anything special (although I'm still as proud as punch, it must be said.)

7th Kyu is as follows; Demonstration of rolls (FL, FR, BL, BR, Both sides w/ step, FintoB) and then the following techniques performed both sides; Katata Kosa Tori Kokyunage, Katata Tori Tenkan Kokyunage, Kata Tori Ikkyo, Shomenuchi Kokyunage, Munetsuki Kotegaishi, Kokyu Dosa. And that's it :)

Best,

-Daniel.

[Mary Eastland]

Daniel, thanks for posting your pictures...it was almost like being there.

Great job!:D

Mary Eastland

Berkshire Hills Aikido

[suebailey]

hey nice one chuck the pictures are fab u should be proud of yourself keep it up weldone.

[opherdonchin]

Hey Daniel,

What style are you pracitcing. From the names of the techniques and the colored belts, I was thinking maybe Ki Society, but I wasn't sure.

Good job, though. Thanks for the pics.

[kironin]

Hey Daniel,

What style are you pracitcing. From the names of the techniques and the colored belts, I was thinking maybe Ki Society, but I wasn't sure.

Good job, though. Thanks for the pics.
Interesting, the names are generally similar to what the Ki Society uses, but some of what's done (like the first picture is very different).

Ki Society doesn't in general use color belts other than brown except for some notable exceptions like the Maui dojo. .

His club is part of a local British organization that draws on the experience with various Japanese teachers during the 60's and 70's from what it says here.

http://www.shingitai.co.uk/history.htm

Another part of the complicated histoy of Aikido in England. Seems every bit as complicated as it is in the US.

Craig

[Daniel Mills]

Hi there :)

It is Ki Aikido (although not officially Ki Society, I think.) mostly, but we're open to other styles too. For instance, we have a Tomiki-style yudansha visiting us tommorrow for a one-day weapons course. I expect bruises ;)

But yes, mostly it's Tohei's lead we follow :)

The first picture was a Kokyunage, variants are introduced as experience progresses, such as the one where the arm is pushed backwards, etc. The first variation we learn just happens to be of the crack-a-neck variety :D

To my knowledge we're not officially a Shin Gi Tai club, just more affiliated closely with Jones-Sensei. He's visiting us on the 3rd August as it happens to instruct another one-day course, which I confess I am quite looking forward to! S'not every day you get the opportunity to train with, and be taught by, a 7th Dan :)

Just captured some more images, so I'll post those in a short while. I hope people don't mind me bombarding them with stills, I know I usually enjoy seeing pictures of other board members 'real life' Aikido :)

Thanks Mary and Sue for the kind comments!

Best,

-Daniel.

[Daniel Mills]

Craig, here is that first technique in a bit more detail, for you to see how it differs from your style?

Katate Kosa Tori Kokyunage;

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/ItWouldOnlyRain/aikido/KatateKosaToriKokyunage.jpg

Best,

-Daniel.

[Kyri Honigh]

hey daniel, nice pictures.Like when I'm gonna do my nikyu test I'd like to have photo's like yours, they are almost taken frame per frame.What kinda equipment do u use.Or is the test in slow motion :)

[Daniel Mills]

Hi Kyri, nothing quite as fancy I'm afraid. A guy from the dojo (who is out at the moment, with a busted ankle.) brought along his amateur camera gear. I managed to get a mpeg movie copy of my testing, and got all the pictures by simply pausing the video in places I thought looked good, then screenshotted them :)

Best,

-Daniel.

[deepsoup]

For instance, we have a Tomiki-style yudansha visiting us tommorrow for a one-day weapons course. I expect bruises ;)
Who's that then?

Sean

x

[Daniel Mills]

Apparently my information was a little incorrect, he had studied in Tomiki awhile, but had decided it wasn't the style for him. The CUA is Aikikai.

The visiting yudansha were a group from the CUA up in Tyne & Wear, led by Sensei Jon Stokoe (Godan.) :)

I received some very encouraging words from Sensei Stokoe, which I won't share, but suffice to say, I'm in a very positive mood this afternoon. The course was superb fun, and a truly excellent learning experience.

[jxa127]

Daniel,

Great stuff! Your posture looks very upright and the animation shows your technique to be crisp. Great job.

Regards,

-Drew

[Harry Nguyen]

Good job Daniel. In my dojo, we include Shihonage in Kyu 7. And actually I think it's a little bit difficult for Kyu 7. The second set of your pictures we call "iriminage". It's quite surprise me that they require you to do kokyu nager with tenkan at kyu 7 level. But it seems you did good job. Keep it up.

[kironin]

Craig, here is that first technique in a bit more detail, for you to see how it differs from your style?

Katate Kosa Tori Kokyunage;

Best,

-Daniel.
nice sequence, Daniel.

Yes, it's different. We enter deeper and don't turn as much (but that could just be mistakes on your part compared to what your teacher does for all I know). More importantly, we throw with the down beat and not the up beat. That's the hallmark of ki-aikido style for at least the past 20 years. Tohei Sensei keeps evolving and changing. The Ki Society version would be throwing uke between frame 4 and frame 5 of your picture sequence. Your finish looks much more like what the Aikikai refer to as irminage where the arm goes up over the shoulder (though they generally also step through). However, what you are doing isn't too different from what beginners in Ki Society often do because the timing of the downbeat is a difficult skill and once you miss it all that is left is to enter and throw them back with the upbeat. So again, I could be just seeing what your teacher is happy to get you to do at 7th kyu and you have much to learn still. :)

I couldn't find a decent pic to illustrate this but

check these out...

in the jo technique where the uke's legs going flying out from under them is much like the basic kokyunage we do with katatekosatori.

http://www.kiaikidocolorado.org/pictures.html

[Ian Heap]

Well done Daniel. can you tell me if you have tried any other lcubs around the area? I used to train at an aikijujutsu class, ut haven't been for a while, I got my 6th Kyu. The first grading is always nerve wracking especially if u have to do a demo, looks like you did one. Kote Gaesh is a good one to get to "grips"with, NO Pun intended.;)

The first lot of pics does look to be Kokyu Nage,(which I think is Breath throw) although I could be wrong. Not practised in about a year!BUT intend to go back to it. :eek: Keep up the interest, and also if you get chance have a look at other styles, always good to see how other forms do "the same thing".

[Daniel Mills]

HI Ian :)

I've only trained at the KAA in Chadderton-ish under Sensei Jim Robinson (4th Dan), after getting entangled in Aikido's intricate web, via giving lifts to friends of mine!

The first grading was hellishly nervewracking, not due to concern over technique and all, but down to the whole formality, and then having to stand up in front of the rest of the class, and perform the series of rolls and whatnot. The techniques flashed by and I honestly can't remember doing them :D

I'm glad someone can see the Kokyu Nage (which is breath throw :) ) in the pictures, I mentioned it to Sensei last night, and his thoughts were that Craig's version was a purer 'Ki' style, whereas the form I'd been taught, although still taken from Tohei's lead, was a more (dare I use the word.. dare I...) effective waza. It's not that it wasn't a Kokyunage, it was just.. a different Kokyunage :)

I couldn't agree more with the thought regarding other styles, and it is something I intend to look further into, and something that my teacher actively professes.

I'll spare you the sales schpiel, but for a simple hello. But if you are looking to get back into things; We're based at Osbourne Mill, near Wickes in Chadderton, relatively small dojo, but as friendly as you'll find. We have a course on August 3rd held by Shihan Gwynne Jones (7th Dan Shin-Gi-Tai) at our dojo running from 11am-4pm (I presume/think) should you wish to come along :)

Best,

-Daniel.

[Ian Heap]

Hi Daniel,

Nice to hear that you got involved with the Aikido after being the preverbial TAXI. The style I do Is Aiki Jujutsu, the school is Kaze Arashi Ryu. Although it has been AGES:straightf since I last trained I still try to keep up to date from their web site. Don't Know if I can post their Web address, but here goes http://www.rossendale-kazearashiryu.org.uk/ Have a look at it.

It has a history section which is very informative. The Classes are pretty, if not, VERY good. :) I originally went a hunting for an AIKIDO club, but couldn't find one close to home, I think I saw your club, but it is about 20 mins drive away, and at the time I was having long days at work. So I thought I'd check out the local Aikijujutsu class. I was really impressed, not just with the overall friendliness of the people, especially the senseis, but also how powerfull the techniques are. Saying this, the techniques are always applied carefully, I think a forum on this site mentioned the trust issue between tori and uke, and I firmly believe that Kaze Arashi Ryu have got it sussed. Which goes to show that the place is ran properly. ANYWAY, enough of me on my soap box, if you get chance check out the site. Take care, and keep at it. Ian:p

[Daniel Mills]

Ian, you should not put ideas into my head as Tuesday and Thursdays are my free days ;)

Just having a quick glance at the site, and was excited to see a seminar, and then disappointed to find it was in London..!

I may pop up sometime to try some Aiki-Ju-Jutsu, when I have a few £'s to try something new. :)

Once I've training for a year or so in Aikido, I was planning on perhaps a little Iaido, there is a club over in Middleton I do believe. As I have a few friends from the Aikido dojo that are interested in swordsmanship and whatnot. But I'm open to all possibilities. I'll definitely try to sneak in a class of AJJ somewhere, now you've brought it to my attention :)

Best,

-Daniel.

[Ian Heap]

Hi Daniel,

how have you been. Just a quick check in! How is your aikido doing? I went back to the aiki class the other week, and it was great to be there. Once again though problems outside of the dojo have stopped me going, time being taken up by other things. although imanaged two sessions! All very good. But I felt really in flexible! goes to show how much out of shape you get.

Keep in touch;)